Pacers Notebook: 11/12/2003

[Pooh]

Pacers link fan support, mediocre home record

By Mark Montieth
[email protected]
November 12, 2003


The Indiana Pacers are 4-0 on the road and 2-2 at home, a reversal of fortune from the NBA norm.

What's wrong with this picture?

The fans, maybe?

An announced crowd of 14,753 fans showed up for Tuesday's 78-76 loss to Boston at Conseco Fieldhouse. They weren't particularly loud, and some of them booed when the Pacers plunged from a 14-point halftime lead to a six-point fourth-quarter deficit.

The Pacers were quick to acknowledge their shortcomings, but some of them wondered if better fan support might have helped.

"For some reason, we have more energy on the road," Ron Artest said when asked about the team's superior record away from the fieldhouse. "Maybe it's because there are more fans in the seats on the road and it's more intense. When we come home, it's not as intense and we have a tendency to not give effort.

"But you should win home games. We should pick it up."

Jermaine O'Neal, who finished with a game-high 25 points and 11 rebounds, said the fans were a brief topic of conversation in the postgame locker room.

"For the most part, the fans have been good to us, but we still need everybody to be on the same boat as us," he said. "We're still 6-2. Hopefully everybody still stays on the bandwagon for another week or so and doesn't jump off."

O'Neal was most disturbed by the smattering of boos as the Pacers' lead evaporated amid a 91/2-minute stretch in which they missed 12 consecutive shots.

"If they think they can make (those shots), I'm pretty sure (owners Herb and Mel Simon) can get a uniform for them and they can come down and try to make (those shots)," he said. "We're trying to make the city proud of us. We're never trying to lose games. Hopefully fans can stick by us when things get tough.

"You're not going to win every game by 20 points. When games are tight, that's when you need the fans. We don't need fans booing us or (making) obscene gestures to us when we miss shots. I don't think the greatest player ever has made every shot."

Newcomer Kenny Anderson acknowledged the Pacers haven't played as well at home. While they've defeated Detroit, Atlanta, New Jersey and Philadelphia on the road, they have lost to Milwaukee and the Celtics at home.

"It's weird; we're not comfortable here for some reason," he said. "We haven't played a good game here, for 48 minutes, this season."

Pierce lends an assist

Paul Pierce is Boston's obvious go-to player. But with the Pacers focusing their defensive attention on him in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's game, he became a playmaker.

Pierce, who finished with a team-high 19 points, also had nine assists. He picked up an assist on four of Boston's eight field goals in the final period, including Vin Baker's baseline jumper that broke a tie at 70.

"At the end of the game, my job is to make the right choice," he said.


Notes

O'Neal's double-double was his fifth of the season, tying him with Shaquille O'Neal and Erick Dampier for the NBA lead. . . . The loss was the first of the season for the Pacers when they led after three quarters. . . . The Pacers had 11 steals, the fifth time in the past seven games they have had 10 or more. . . . Scot Pollard matched his season high with five rebounds in 10 minutes off the bench. He also had three blocked shots. . . . Boston hit just 6-of-13 foul shots, matching the fewest made by an NBA team this season.

[pacersrule03]

The fans have been very weak this season this season so far. It is out of the ordinary because usally the pacers have one of the best crowds in the NBA.

[Pooh]

I know you go to some of the games at Conseco, let us know how they act.